Black Badger

I was dragged to the infirmary in a daze.

I followed the doctor along with the three people who had been watching over me. A spacious room came into view. It was white and bright, with a desk and several chairs for visitors.

A cool breeze carrying the scent of disinfectant hung in the spotless room.

The man who had burst out of the door earlier quickly walked over and sat down at the desk.

He gestured for the incoming people to sit.

"Samuel? Is something wrong?"

The people scattered and sat in the chairs here and there. Ami, the only one who didn't sit but instead came to stand beside me, asked the man in the white coat.

The man called Samuel waved his hand.

"It's a bit tricky to explain. There's no health issue. Except for the fact that his stomach is completely empty right now."

"If it's not a health problem, then what could it be?"

Ami's eyes widened as she asked back.

"We just did a health check, right? If something came up in the health check, that means there's a health problem."

Exactly. That was a very reasonable point.

But strangely, the doctor shook his head vigorously.

"First, give him something to eat."

The doctor said in a gruff voice, his eyes fixed on the screen.

"I'll explain with the images. Get ready to contact Ye-hyeon."

"To the Supreme Commander~?"

"You'll freak out when you see it too."

What was it.

What was the problem now. Listening to the conversation between the doctor called Samuel and the others, I felt scared. It was already confusing enough to end up in an unfamiliar place with my memories gone, and now there was another issue.

The faces of everyone except Ro hardened.

A chill settled in my stomach.

The sound of the mouse wheel clicking away seemed unusually loud. The doctor told us to wait and searched for something on the computer.

I tensed up and bit my lip.

I had no idea what the problem was, but if it was serious, what would happen to me?

I clenched my sweaty fists.

At the same time, Ami spoke.

"Mr. Hilde."

I turned my head in surprise.

"Yes?"

"What do you like?"

Do you remember? What you liked? Ami looked at me with her round eyes. I could see her smartphone in her hand, displaying photos of various foods.

I blankly alternated between the screen and Ami.

"Ah.... I can't really remember. Sorry...."

"It's okay."

She replied breezily and tilted her head to examine my face.

"Your expression doesn't look good."

"Well, yeah. How could he feel good when there's a big health issue?"

"No, I said it's not a health problem."

Hearing Ro's irrelevant comment, I let out a heavy sigh.

Judging from how Ami and Ricardo weren't particularly surprised, it seemed Ro often said random things like this. I looked at Ro, who had raised his eyebrows as if to say, Huh? Then what is it? This is a hospital and you're a doctor. A mix of bewilderment and worry showed in my awkward smile.

So, what was all this about.

Ami suggested ordering a hamburger since it was safe. I nodded slowly as I watched her tap on the phone screen.

"Look at this."

Then the doctor's voice made me turn my head.

"You guys can read this graph, right?"

He pointed to the hologram window.

What was that. I blinked dumbly at the new thing that appeared. The clear window was filled with incomprehensible numbers and explanations.

I couldn't read it.

But the others seemed able to interpret the information.

The people raised their voices.

"Huh! Is this really Mr. Hilde's?"

"Ah~?"

"What's that? What does it mean?"

The reactions were mixed.

The hologram window showed an adult body image and various graphs. The graphs had numbers and incomprehensible words. But even after blinking and reading again, I couldn't understand what the numbers indicated.

Fortunately, Ro looked as confused as I did.

However, Ricardo and Ami showed unmistakable bewilderment on their faces. They stayed silent for a while, just staring at the graphs.

A chaotic silence settled over the infirmary.

The doctor provided the explanation.

"He's an Augmented Body holder just like you guys."

"I'll report to the Commander and come back~."

"Ah? Hey, say something that makes sense!"

Ricardo stood up and went outside, while Ro raised his voice.

"I've never seen a Black Badger like this! And it's been years since the war ended—there can't be an unregistered Black Badger! Hey, even I know that, and I'm not smart!"

"That's why it's a big deal. And lower your voice, kid! This is a hospital!"

"Wow."

Ami muttered to herself with her eyes wide open.

I sat there like an idiot, unable to understand the doctor's words, turning my head. Ami was standing beside me, staring at the hologram window.

Ignoring the bickering between Ro and the doctor, she added in a clear voice.

"The HR Director will have to come back for overtime too."

What was a Black Badger.

And what did it mean that I was an Augmented Body holder. It had been less than a few hours since I came to my senses, and now I was facing another incomprehensible term.

Moreover, unlike before, this didn't seem like it would resolve easily.

I sat quietly with my mouth shut amid the excited people, to protect my own safety among these complete strangers.

The white infirmary. Excited and surprised strangers. Unfamiliar smells, an unfamiliar environment. Strange names and strange words.

Suddenly, I felt terribly hungry and tired.

I just wanted to forget all this and fall asleep.

*

Ricardo returned with the hamburger.

The man with soft green eyes but an irrepressible sharpness emanating from his body opened the infirmary door, holding a bag with the hamburger.

I turned to the man who called me Hilde in a friendly way.

Instead of the somber black combat uniform he had been wearing earlier—combat uniform, I assumed—he now wore a neat shirt and pants.

The glasses he wore suited him surprisingly well.

The man smiled and walked into the infirmary.

"It's a hamburger.... You waited a long time, huh~?"

"No, thank you so much."

"Hey, this guy's Augmented Body is real."

I finally took the paper bag with the hamburger using my freed hands, and Ro tapped his foot from his chair.

Ricardo looked down at Ro through his glasses.

"Yeah~?"

"Yeah. I even arm-wrestled him myself."

I lost cleanly.

A few minutes ago, when Ami unlocked the handcuffs and suggested I arm-wrestle Ro, we did a round. Of course, I didn't think I'd win. Ro clearly had a sturdy, athletic build honed by exercise.

I was defeated without a chance to resist.

But Ami and the doctor didn't focus on the outcome of the arm-wrestle. They seemed more interested in the fact that my muscles were intact even after arm-wrestling Ro.

Ricardo appeared to be the same.

His green eyes scanned my arm.

"This is something. The situation keeps getting weirder...."

"Peanut went off to report to someone. I don't know what he's reporting."

"Of course~. It's an unprecedented emergency."

Ricardo replied in a voice tinged with a strange amusement.

As I rustled to take out the hamburger, I glanced at the man standing in front of me. It should have been okay to eat here, right? I'd been so hungry since entering the infirmary.

As if reading my mind, Ricardo added casually.

"You can eat comfortably here.... That's why I brought it here."

"Ah, thank you."

"Your expression doesn't look good?"

He watched me unwrap the hamburger.

"Is it because people are changing their faces and making calls everywhere over the Augmented Body thing? Don't worry too much~. Even if it becomes a problem, it'll be our high command in trouble, not you...."

"Uh.... I don't want to cause trouble for anyone if possible."

"That could be. If the high command covers it well. Your existence hasn't been known outside yet, right~?"

Ricardo smiled and stretched his long legs to pull over a wheeled chair.

He sat astride the chair and waved his hand as if to say eat the hamburger.

"Eat up~. You must be hungry...."

"Thank you."

I thanked him and took a bite of the hamburger.

The juices, sauce, and crisp lettuce burst delightfully in my mouth. My eyes widened at the unexpected taste. It was delicious. Strange, the fragmented memories of hamburgers didn't taste this good.

I checked the wrapper, but it wasn't a brand I recognized.

Anyway, I ate it gratefully. It seemed my appearance had caused all sorts of headaches, but these people treated me decently, and I was thankful for that.

Ricardo's soft smile grew.

"How much did Samuel Han explain to you~?"

So Samuel's full name was Samuel Han.

After swallowing the hamburger, I replied.

"Not in much detail.... Just that the Augmented Body is well-integrated with no physical issues."

"That's like him~. He only gives medical opinions.... He doesn't say anything outside his field since he doesn't know how far to go~."

"Is there a problem with that?"

The one who interrupted the conversation was Ro, who had been playing a game on his phone.

He furrowed his thick eyebrows and looked at us.

"You can explain about Black Badgers and Augmented Bodies. Right?"

"Well.... Yeah.... It'll be more comfortable for Hilde and us if I explain it properly~."

"If it's okay, I'd appreciate it."

I picked up a french fry and politely asked. I'd heard bits and pieces, but new situations had brought new questions.

I wanted to hear explanations about Augmented Body and Black Badger.

Ricardo stared at me with unreadable eyes and let out a chuckle.

"With you looking at me like that, I can't just skip it~...."

Thank you.

"Simply put, you're like a pistol without a registered serial number~."

That was a clear explanation.

"Augmented Body holders are treated as living weapons.... So when an Augmented Body is implanted, the recipient's personal information is registered in the database, and they're always under headquarters' control.... But you're not registered with headquarters, and you were an Augmented Body holder we didn't even know existed, so that's the problem~. You suddenly popped out in the Portal Zone too. It's like an unknown missile dropping out of the sky in a danger zone—would that be a good analogy~?"

"Ah."

I roughly understood.

My body didn't feel particularly different. But I could see why people were so shocked by my health check results. An Augmented Body holder was probably closer to a missile than a pistol. They wouldn't report directly to the commander over an unknown pistol.

Anyway....

"Why do I have an Augmented Body?"

With no memories, it was frustrating enough to go crazy.

Ricardo gave a small laugh at my foolish question.

"Yeah~. How did you end up with an Augmented Body.... It's so unimaginable that I can't even guess...."

"Did you get some illegal surgery or something? The surgery's aftereffects wiped all your memories."

"Ro.... Illegal surgery wouldn't integrate this perfectly~. If you'd had illegal surgery, you wouldn't be in this state to chat normally right now...."

"Wow!"

The conversation cut off.

Bang! With a loud noise, the infirmary door flew open, and I reflexively jolted back. I widened my eyes and looked at the one who had flung the door open.

A woman with round black eyes wide open. It was Ami, who had gone out earlier saying she needed to talk to Yoon.

What had just happened?

Ricardo and Ro also raised their eyebrows and looked at Ami.

A sudden silence fell over the unexpected situation. We blinked at each other for a while, frozen like someone had hit pause.

Then Ami spoke.

"Mr. Joo is coming back for overtime."

Thud!

Ro dropped the phone he was holding to the floor.

"He's even home already but turning back!"

"Crazy!"

Bang! As Ro stood up, the chair he had been sitting in toppled backward.

The atmosphere shifted. Ricardo, who rarely seemed surprised, asked, "The HR Director~?"

Ami nodded frantically at Ricardo's question and Ro's "Hey, really? For real?" then rushed into the infirmary.

She paced around energetically.

After a while of not containing her excitement, Ami turned to me, who was still stunned.

"It's thanks to you, Mr. Hilde!"

Ami shouted happily.

Ro exclaimed in admiration.

"Hey, you see all kinds of things living long enough."

The curly-haired man approached me and patted my back heartily.

"Good job. You did what even Ye-hyeon and his predecessor couldn't. You're the only one who's dragged Joo back after he went home."

His words were laced with genuine delight.

Even Ricardo let out a chuckle.

I just watched the people's reactions dumbly. I didn't really get it. But it was an emergency serious enough to call back someone I didn't know, and I wondered if it was okay for them to be this happy....

I didn't voice the thought.

Instead, holding the hamburger, I sat quietly with an awkward smile until Ro and Ami calmed down, buried in curiosity about who this HR Director Joo person was.

I wanted to meet that HR Director as soon as possible.